Mt Fuji · Kawaguchiko · Secondhand
On Route 139 in Funatsu, a few minutes’ drive from the Kawaguchiko interchange, Hard Off and Off House share one address, and both official pages list 50 parking spaces. On my 15 October visit, one side had turntables wrapped in plastic, a glass case of Leica, Nikon and Contax cameras, guitars and boxed figures. The other had a sneaker wall, clothing rails, kimono and a shelf with swords on stands. I came away with a Studio Ghibli VHS for ¥100.
I’m Nobu. I live in Yamanakako village, and I have already written up the big Hard Off and Off House complex in Hachioji Owada on the western edge of Tokyo. This is the same chain much closer to home, in Fujikawaguchiko, along Route 139. I went on a Thursday afternoon in October, less than a month after it reopened following the June earthquake. Here is what was on the floor, how it compares with Hachioji, and what helps if you don’t read Japanese.
Two stores at one address
The official store pages list the two at the same address, 2988-1 Funatsu, with the same hours, 10:30 to 19:30, open every day, and the same 50 parking spaces.
The store pages split the stock like this. Hard Off lists guitars and basses, retro game consoles and software, wind instruments, tools, hobby goods, records, audio, cameras, gaming PCs and PC parts, and junk (ジャンク) items. Off House lists clothing, brand goods, watches, jewellery, kimono and kimono accessories, sports and outdoor gear, baby and kids’ goods, toys, character goods and bicycles.
Less than Hachioji: I found less to browse here than at the Hard Off in Hachioji Owada. Separately, Hachioji lists 302 parking spaces against 50 here, and advertises 600-plus guitars and 500-plus effects units. Don’t come expecting that size. But I still think it is worth a look on a day when Mt Fuji is hidden.
Closed after the June 2026 earthquake, open again since 16 September
If you search for this store, you may find an old notice saying it is closed. The earthquake on the night of 26 June 2026 was centred in eastern Yamanashi and the Fuji Five Lakes area; the Japan Meteorological Agency gives it magnitude 5.6 and a maximum seismic intensity of 6-lower. Here is the order things happened in, from Hard Off’s own announcements and my visit.
| Date (2026) | What happened |
|---|---|
| 26 June | Earthquake in eastern Yamanashi and the Fuji Five Lakes area |
| 27 June | Hard Off posts that the Kawaguchiko Hard Off and Off House have closed, with no reopening date |
| 28 August | Hard Off posts a reopening notice: normal trading from 16 September, 10:30–19:30 |
| 16 September | Reopening date given in that notice |
| 15 October | My visit: both stores open |
| 21 October | The manager’s note on the Hard Off store page still says the store is closed |
Hard Off’s dated reopening notice says normal trading resumed on 16 September. The undated manager’s note on the store page still mentions the closure; I was shopping there on 15 October. If in doubt, phone the store.
The Hard Off side: turntables, cameras and guitars
I went in the middle of the afternoon. My photos run from about 3:30 to 3:36 p.m. I photographed a range of sections, from audio to figures, so here is a bit of everything.
The turntables were stacked on grey shelving in their plastic wrap, several to a shelf. The camera case held film cameras from Leica, Hasselblad, Contax and Olympus, among others. These are a few of the tags I can read in my photos, as photographed on 15 October.
| Item (from the tag) | Type | Tag price, tax included |
|---|---|---|
| Olympus Pen | Film camera | ¥7,700 |
| Pioneer XL-1550 | Turntable | ¥16,500 |
| Denon DP-5000F | Turntable | ¥35,200 |
| Victor QL-A70 | Turntable | ¥38,500 |
| Leica IIIf | Film camera | ¥88,000 |
| Contax T | Film camera | ¥110,000 |
| Leica M3 | Film camera | ¥275,000 |
Read from my photos taken on 15 October 2026. Secondhand stock moves, so these will not all be there when you go.
Guitars and basses come first on Hard Off’s list of what this store is strong in, and in my photos they hang in a long row down one wall, with a red drum kit on the floor below them. The store page also says retro game consoles are a particular focus; they aren’t in my photos.
Studio Ghibli on VHS for ¥100
What I actually bought was a Studio Ghibli film on VHS, for ¥100. Back home I put it in and it played fine. I was really glad I’d picked it up, and it felt so nostalgic.
That is the kind of find I mean. The cameras behind glass are serious money; for me, the ¥100 VHS was the find that stayed with me.
Reading the price tags
The price tags are in Japanese. Here is what the tags in my photos show, and where I needed a translation.
リユース品 = a reuse item
The red-topped tags on the cameras and turntables say リユース品 (reuse item). They give the maker (メーカー), the model (型番), and a box headed 保証期間, the warranty period. In my photos that box shows 3ヶ月 (three months) for the Olympus Pen and the Leica IIIf, and 1年 (one year) for the Leica M3.
The big number includes tax
The large price has 税込 (tax included) beside it. The smaller 本体価格 line is the price before tax: ¥7,000 on the Olympus Pen tag, ¥7,700 with tax.
ジャンク = junk, sold as is
Junk is not “a bargain”. Hard Off’s own definition is goods sold as they are, for repair, parts or tinkering, with no guarantee that they work and no returns or exchanges. I found I needed to translate the junk labels and condition notes, so keep a translation app open before buying anything marked ジャンク.
The Off House side: sneakers, clothing and kimono
One wall of Off House is used sneakers, under the Off House sign, with Nike and New Balance boxes along the top shelf. The rest of the floor in my photos has fitting rooms, lit glass display cases, more shoe shelves and long clothing racks.
Which counter to pay at: in my photos there is a sign reading 会計 CASHIER, which is where you pay, and separately a tall green post reading 買い取り精算カウンター, which means the buy-in counter, for selling things to the store.
In my photo the kimono is a full rail: kimono and haori jackets in greens, oranges, pinks and dark colours, with two red and purple kimono on display above.
One shelf in Off House had framed paintings along the top, swords on stands below them, and large patterned plates.
What Hard Off is, in two minutes
Hard Off started out as a new-audio shop, Sound Hokuetsu, founded in 1972. Its first reuse store opened in Niigata on 11 February 1993, and the first Off House followed in 1998. That split is still how it works: Hard Off for audio, instruments, cameras, games and computers, Off House for clothing, household goods, brand items and kimono. This address has Hard Off and Off House, not Book Off.
The Off House manager’s note on the store page says goods come in from tourists and holiday-home owners as well as locals.
A stop for a day when Mt Fuji is hidden
Some days at Kawaguchiko the mountain doesn’t come out. That is the day I’d send you here. There’s less than at Hachioji, but there are cameras, audio, guitars, clothing and kimono to go through.
Check the Mt Fuji visibility forecast the night before. If the view looks good, do the Mt Fuji Panoramic Ropeway or Oishi Park and the lake ferry first, and save this for later. For more retro Japan nearby, the Showa-era backstreets of Nishiura in Fujiyoshida are in Fujiyoshida. And for secondhand clothing in Tokyo, see Shimokitazawa’s vintage streets.
Taking photos inside
Hard Off publishes rules for taking photos in its stores and posting them on social media. They are worth knowing before you get your phone out:
No need to ask first
Individual customers do not need to apply in advance to take photos of the outside of the store and the sales floor.
No faces
Faces and other details that identify other customers or staff must not be photographed. Anything caught by accident should be blurred or cropped before posting. Where shoppers appear in these photos, their faces are blurred.
Sales floor only
Areas closed to customers, such as behind the till, and shared parts of the building are off limits. No tripods, no blocking aisles, and photos of goods you haven’t bought must not be used for resale listings.
How to get there
By car
Hard Off describes the store as next to the Funatsu Tozando-iriguchi crossing on Route 139, about 2 to 3 minutes by car from Kawaguchiko IC on the Chuo Expressway, heading towards Kofu. The car park is listed at 50 spaces.
From Kawaguchiko Station
Fujikyu’s Narusawa, Shoji and Motosu sightseeing bus stops at Kawaguchiko Shopping Center BELL, near the store: its current timetable shows, for example, a 9:35 departure from the station arriving at 9:46. Buses are not frequent, so check the day’s times.
From Tokyo
For buses, trains and driving from Tokyo to the lake, see Tokyo to Kawaguchiko.
Hard Off gives its directions by car, 2 to 3 minutes from Kawaguchiko IC with a 50-space car park, so it is easy to fit in if you are driving round the lakes.
Compare rental cars around Mt Fuji on Discover CarsSearch Japanese rental car companies on Rakuten TravelWhere to stay
If you are staying around the lake, the Kawaguchiko vs Fujiyoshida guide compares the two bases, and the two-day Fuji Five Lakes itinerary shows how a lake day fits together.
Staying a second night gives you a second chance at the view if Fuji hides on the first day.
Compare Lake Kawaguchiko hotels on Booking.comWant a guided day around Mt Fuji on another date?
Browse Mt Fuji tours on KlookWhat to know before you go
English
I didn’t see English guidance or any tax-free notice on my visit. In my photos, the English I can find is on a few signs such as CASHIER at the till and FITTING ROOM. Whether staff can help in English is unconfirmed.
Tax-free
I saw no tax-free notice, but Hard Off’s own tax-free store list (dated March 2026, before the closure) includes both the Hard Off and Off House Kawaguchiko stores, with conditions varying by store. Ask at the till which documents and procedure apply. Note that for eligible tax-free purchases at participating stores from 1 November 2026, the Japan Tourism Agency describes paying the tax at purchase and getting it refunded after customs confirmation when you leave Japan; confirm the store’s process at the till.
Payment
Neither store page says which cards or QR payments the tills take. Ask before you rely on one.
VHS and DVDs
Japan uses the NTSC video format and 100-volt power, and Japanese DVDs are Region 2. My Ghibli tape played fine at home in Japan; check your own player before buying tapes or discs to take home.
Stock changes
Everything in this article was on the floor on 15 October 2026. Secondhand stock moves, so treat it as a sample of what turns up, not a list.
Is Hard Off Kawaguchiko open after the 2026 earthquake?
Yes. Hard Off’s dated notice says the Hard Off and Off House Kawaguchiko stores reopened on 16 September 2026, with hours of 10:30 to 19:30, and I shopped there on 15 October 2026. The undated manager’s note on the store page still mentions the closure, so phone if in doubt.
What are the opening hours, and is there parking?
The official store pages list 10:30 to 19:30, open every day, with 50 parking spaces. I read them on 21 October 2026.
How does it compare with Hard Off Hachioji Owada?
I found less to browse here. Hachioji also lists 302 parking spaces against 50 here. I’d still go on a day when Mt Fuji is hidden.
Is there English in the store, and is it tax-free?
On my visit I didn’t see English guidance or tax-free notices (a few signs such as CASHIER are in English), and I needed to translate the junk labels and condition notes. Hard Off’s March 2026 tax-free list includes both Kawaguchiko stores, so ask at the till which documents and procedure apply; for eligible purchases from 1 November 2026, Japan moves to a system where tax is paid at purchase and refunded after customs confirmation, so confirm the store’s current process at the till.
Can you take photos inside Hard Off?
Hard Off’s guidelines allow individual customers to photograph the sales floor and the outside of the store without applying first, as long as other people’s faces and identifying details are not shown and the photos are not used to resell goods you haven’t bought.
How do you get there without a car?
Fujikyu’s sightseeing bus stops at Kawaguchiko Shopping Center BELL, near the store, about 11 minutes from the station. By car, Hard Off gives 2 to 3 minutes from Kawaguchiko IC.
Sources
- Hard Off Kawaguchiko store page (address, hours, parking, access, categories, manager’s note): hardoff.co.jp
- Off House Kawaguchiko store page (address, hours, parking, categories): hardoff.co.jp
- Earthquake closure notice, 27 June 2026: hardoff.co.jp
- Reopening notice, 28 August 2026: hardoff.co.jp
- In-store photography and social media guidelines: hardoff.co.jp
- Visit, purchase, photos and the price tags quoted: my own visit, 15 October 2026. Store pages read on 21 October 2026; tax-free, junk, history, bus, earthquake and Hachioji pages read on 22 October 2026.
- Hard Off tax-free information and store list (March 2026): hardoff.co.jp; Japan Tourism Agency on the 1 November 2026 change: mlit.go.jp
- Hard Off, what “junk” means: hardoff.co.jp; company history: hardoff.co.jp
- Japan Meteorological Agency, 26 June 2026 earthquake: data.jma.go.jp
- Fujikyu Bus sightseeing bus timetable: fujikyubus.co.jp
- Hard Off Hachioji Owada store page (parking, guitars, effects): hardoff.co.jp; video format and DVD region: ANA
- Kawaguchiko Shopping Center BELL (bus stop next to the store): scbell.co.jp; bus timetable checked 22 October 2026
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